My Honour
by StormWolf10
Summary: The Doctor pays one final visit to an old friend...


**A/N: Wrote this ages ago, but then forgot about it… Anywho, enjoy!**

The Doctor watched with heavy hearts as the cluster of people began walking away. He was in a cemetery. Yet another cemetery. He'd spent far too much time in cemeteries, he decided. But this… He needed to be here, he had to be here. To pay his respects. Beginning to make his way towards the grave that was now being filled in, the Doctor straightened his bowtie. He paused for a moment, looking back towards the gates, the tall brick wall that hid the TARDIS from view. His TARDIS, his haven, his home. Clara was probably pottering about making herself some tea, convinced that the Doctor was off getting parts to repair the TARDIS, or something. He hadn't been able to find the words to explain to her what he was doing. Swallowing, he continued down the path. As he drew nearer to the grave, there were only a few people left; a tall woman with blonde hair, crying silently, a dark-skinned man with short dark hair, who had one arm around the shoulders of a ginger woman, who was crying into his shoulder. There was a little boy stood beside them, dressed in a brand new black suit and tie, polished shoes and neatly combed black hair, all of which contrasted with his pale skin. The boy couldn't have been older than five at the most, and a small smile spread across the Doctor's face at the sight of him.

"Come on then," the ginger woman sighed, wiping at her eyes and reaching for the little boy's hand, "we'd better get to the wake. You alright, Mum?"

The blonde woman nodded, wiping at her own damp eyes.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

"You can come back to ours tonight, if you'd like, Sylvia," the man announced. "If you don't want to be at home on your own."

"I'll be alright, Shaun. Besides, you have Donna and John to worry about," Sylvia responded, smiling weakly at her son-in-law.

"We're only a phone call away if you need us though, Mum," Donna told her Mum as she hugged the little boy- John- to her.

The Doctor watched in silence as Sylvia Noble, Shaun Temple and Donna Temple-Noble began walking away through the cemetery, little John clinging to Donna. As they finally disappeared, the Doctor made his way over to the fresh grave. He paused again, readjusting his bowtie for the second time before attempting to tame his hair a bit. Then, sniffing, the Doctor walked over to the grave.

"Hello," he said with a small, sad smile, "it's me. The Doctor. Donna's safe, she didn't see me. I see her and Shaun are doing well for themselves. Good…Good… I… I'm sorry I didn't visit more often, but I couldn't risk Donna seeing me. And I'm not exactly Sylvia's favourite person, am I? But… But I just wanted to pay my respects…"

"Doctor?"

The Doctor looked up, spinning on his heels to see Clara picking her way through the cemetery, her bright red dress staining the bleak landscape. She looked confused.

"What are you doing here?" Clara asked, arms folded across her chest as she finally reached him.

The Doctor opened his mouth, but couldn't form the words. It was then that Clara really, truly realised where they were. Her eyes went wide, and she looked at the freshly-dug grave the Doctor was stood in front.

"Oh. I'll… I'll, uh, give you a few moments," Clara told the Doctor awkwardly, gesturing over her shoulder and backing away a bit.

The Doctor smiled gratefully, watching as Clara disappeared back up the path to sit on a bench. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to the grave, eyes flickering over the brand-new tombstone.

"Sorry about that. Clara, lovely girl, travels with me now."

The Doctor was aware that Clara was watching him from a distance, but he didn't care.

"Bit of a mystery, she is," the Doctor continued quietly. "But keeps me in line. Not as loud about it as your Donna, and she hasn't slapped me… Yet. But there's still time for that, I suppose.

The Doctor smiled slightly then, but the smile quickly faded as he stared at the gravestone. He suddenly snapped to attention, saluting.

"Wilfred Mott," the Doctor said quietly, a small smile on his face, "it has been my honour."


End file.
